The Big Picture
James Gunn revealed the original title for
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
in honor of its 20th anniversary.
The third film that never happened would have seen Mystery Inc in Scotland.
Monsters Unleashed
is now a cult classic, appreciated for its humor and iconic monsters.
Scooby-Doo is one of the most recognizable brands in the world. However, if you were a kid-of the 2000s, your first exposure to this band of mystery-solving teenagers was probably the live-action films produced by Warner Brothers and written by James Gunn. Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed celebrated its 20th anniversary this week. This caused Gunn to honor the sequel and reveal the original title of Monsters Unleashed. He also gave fans another hint of what could have been with a third film.
In posts to his Instagram and Thread pages, The Suicide Squad director disclosed that the original title for the sequel was Scooby-Doo Unleashed. Gunn would say, “20 Years ago today Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (I was never a big fan of the title – I had named it simply Scooby-Doo Unleashed) was released in theaters. A great group of people – I made quite a few life long friends working on this project.” Along with this, the director responded to a fan comment about whether he had ever been approached to direct the sequel, which Gunn said was in the cards for the potential third film that never happened. “I had a deal to write and direct the third film but, although the second one was profitable, it wasn’t profitable to warrant a third feature. So I went and did Slither instead.”
‘Scooby-Doo 3’! Where Are You?
While Scooby-Doo 3 never saw the light of day, Gunn revealed in 2020 that the plot of that film would have seen Mystery Inc in Scotland. Like the beloved Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, the monsters of that film would be revealed to be the victims, causing Scooby and Shaggy to come to terms with their own fear-induced prejudice. Gunn is now busy being the co-head of DC Studios and currently in production of his upcoming film Superman. Even with that hard truth, fans are clamoring for a Scooby-Doo 3 with the original cast. In the past 20 years, a lot has been uncovered about the original version of the first Scooby-Doo film that came out in 2002. That film was intended to be more adult, which is evident by the film’s deleted scenes. Cast members like Freddie Prinze Jr, who played team leader Fred Jones, have been open about that fact. The film this version of Mystery Inc signed on for wasn’t the final product that was made. For example, Velma and Daphne shared a cut kiss. Despite these changes, the final version of the 2002 film is still filled with a ton of sexual innuendos and content that’s questionable for kids. Monsters Unleashed toned that down, but again, there are moments like Velma’s romance with Patrick that’ll have parents raising eyebrows.
Even though Gunn’s not a fan of the title and the sequel, like its predecessor, was bashed by critics, Monsters Unleashed is now a rightful cult classic to the generation that grew up with it. Whether it was the live-action versions of some of Scooby-Doo’s most iconic monsters or the hilarious humor that carried over from the 2002 film or the higher production value with an amazing musical score from David Newman, Monsters Unleashed is finally being appreciated for the hidden gem that it is. With its 20th anniversary this week, it’s the perfect time for WB to put this film (along with its predecessor) out on 4K for the first time. The company has recently been releasing some of the gang’s most popular animated films on Blu-ray, so hopefully Scooby-Doo 2002 and Monsters Unleashed get the same treatment soon. As for a third film, both Shaggy himself, Matthew Lillard, and Gunn have expressed interest in a rated-R legacy sequel in the past. However, again, Gunn is very busy at the moment shaping DC’s future. For now, fans should just be happy knowing that Gunn still has a lot of love for the franchise that kick-started his amazing career.
You can view his post full of throwback Scooby-Doo images below, and stream Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed on Max in the U.S.
Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island
The Mystery Gang reunite and visit Moonscar Island, a remote island with a dark secret. Daphne wants more than just a villain in a costume, and they get more than they ever expected.
Release Date September 22, 1998
Director Jim Stenstrum
Runtime 77 Minutes
Writers Glenn Leopold , Davis Doi , William Hanna , Joseph Barbera
Watch on Max